Tidal power 'could provide energy for 15m homes by 2050'

Wave and tidal power could produce enough energy for up to 15 million homes, provide thousands of jobs and slash emissions by mid-century, the Government claimed today.

Energy Minister Lord Hunt said harnessing the power of the UK's seas would provide clean and secure energy and export opportunities as he launched an action plan for developing the industry.

Energy Minister Lord Hunt visits the SeaGen tidal energy converter, in Strangford Lough. It generates enough power for 1,000 homes into the local electricity grid

Exploiting marine energy's full potential could save up to 70 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050 and create as many as 16,000 jobs, with a quarter of them in the export sector, according to the Government.

The marine energy action plan recommends incentives for marine power, targeted funding to help the developing sector where the market does not, building a supply chain, leveraging private investment and establishing guidelines for new technologies.

Speaking at Strangford Loch in Northern Ireland, home of the world's first commercial-scale tidal stream turbine, Lord Hunt said: 'Harnessing the power of our seas will help us reduce our carbon emissions, provide clean, green, secure and reliable energy, create jobs and provide export opportunities.

'This action plan sets out our vision for what marine energy can do for the UK and what we need to do to make it happen.'

The SeaGen turbine at Strangford Loch was installed in April 2008. It works like an underwater windmill with the turbine's two rotors propelled by some of the world's fastest tidal flows.